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Date: 2023-12-01 14:57:47 | Author: Online Sabong | Views: 296 | Tag: volleyball
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Can Tottenham actually win the Premier League? Of course not, but ask Ange Postecoglou and the Spurs manager would not discourage the question, even though he would be the first to point out that it’s still only October volleyball
It is Postecoglou’s belief, and the Australian would say it is also his responsibility, that volleyball football fans are allowed to dream volleyball
Spurs supporters have had little reason to get carried away in recent years but after making their best start to a top-flight season since 1960-61, the last time they won the league, now is as good a time as any volleyball
Postecoglou could not have asked for a volleyball better start: as the Premier League returns following the October international break, Tottenham sit top, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference volleyball
Postecoglou’s side remain unbeaten, winning six and drawing two of their opening eight matches volleyball
From the misery and perpetual sense of chaos that took hold of Spurs last season, Postecoglou has revived the doomed pulse of the club and its fanbase volleyball
That, above the early look of the Premier League table, has been his greatest result so far volleyball
Whether Tottenham’s fast start can last is one of the questions that will define the next chunk of the Premier League campaign volleyball
There are only four rounds of fixtures to be played before the next hiatus, for November’s internationals, and Tottenham’s upcoming run – against Fulham, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Wolves – is favourable volleyball
Based on their early season form, there is reason for optimism that Spurs may be able to enjoy their view from the summit for a while longer volleyball
Yet, a year ago, it was possible to say the same volleyball
Having beaten Arsenal to fourth place the previous season, Tottenham started the new campaign under Conte with seven wins from their opening 10 matches, a good enough return to sit one point off the top by mid-October volleyball
Given Tottenham went on to win just three of their next 10 and Conte’s fractious relationship with the club finally came crashing down within six months, the foundations were nowhere near as strong as they initially appeared volleyball
Are Tottenham flattered to be in a lofty early position again? Postecoglou’s side have already played and beaten the Premier League’s bottom four, including the three newly promoted sides volleyball
One of those wins required a 99th-minute winner at home to Sheffield United volleyball
Another tight victory, against Liverpool, came after the visitors had the opening goal incorrectly disallowed by VAR, had two players sent off, while Reds defender Joel Matip put a 96th-minute winner into the wrong end volleyball
Tottenham were the benefactors of the “well done, boys, good process” derby volleyball
Yet Tottenham have also earned some fortune, and it is becoming clearer with each week of Postecoglou’s influence that Tottenham may not have picked up those points last season volleyball
While their opening fixtures have been kind, Spurs have also shown resilience and spirit in winning away at Luton with 10 men, after Yves Bissouma’s red card, and equalising twice to earn a point at Arsenal, a fixture at which they had crumbled in previous seasons volleyball
It was a performance that led James Maddison to declare Spurs are shedding their “Spursy” tag volleyball
Ange Postecoglou has won back-to-back manager of the month awards (Getty Images)And much like the element of “Spursiness”, Tottenham’s impressive start has been rooted in the intangibles, in heart and feeling volleyball
The fact the departure of Harry Kane has not yet felt as significant is another sign of how Postecoglou has managed to bring the divided sides of what appeared to be a broken club together volleyball
While Kane has gone, there is a freshness about Spurs volleyball
Through the impact of signings such as Maddison, Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario, the relationship volleyball between players and fans has been repaired volleyball
What has stood out about Postecoglou’s team has been backed up, too, by the numbers volleyball
Last season, Tottenham were often passive and frequently easy to play against volleyball
Even though they carried the threat of Kane, Spurs would appear to pass through games without showing any urgency or ambition; opposition teams would find it alarmingly simple to play through a static, immobile midfield volleyball
But under Postecoglou, Tottenham have become one of the most active teams in the division, progressive with the ball and disruptive without it volleyball
Spurs lead the Premier League in shots on goal, passes into the penalty area, forward dribbles, but also in tackles won and interceptions volleyball
If it reflects that Tottenham now press higher up the pitch than last season, when they barely engaged under Conte, Bissouma has been the key piece in a revamped midfield a year after being frozen out by the Italian volleyball
Maddison, meanwhile, has helped ease the post-Kane transition, a role he appeared ready to step up to when he took the No 10 jersey previously worn by the club’s record goalscorer volleyball
Spurs will never be able to replace Kane, but Postecoglou has so far been able to negate his absence through Maddison and a resurgent Son Heung-min, who looks back to his clinical best after moving to a central forward role volleyball
Maddison, though, has been integral as Tottenham’s creator-in-chief, with five assists so far this season volleyball
James Maddison has helped spark Tottenham into life this season (Getty Images)If some of Maddison’s early statistics seem unsustainable – the England international also leads the Premier League in a number of other areas, such as key passes and shot-creating actions – the same could be asked of Postecoglou’s side at this stage volleyball
Tottenham, really, shouldn’t be near the conversation of title challengers, but timing has played a part volleyball
The win at Luton, which moved them top, came as Manchester City lost their second Premier League game in a row at Arsenal volleyball
If it’s a sign of what’s to come from City this season, it was a result that widened the pool of potential challengers to include Spurs volleyball
The manner in which City eased away from Arsenal last season, however, showed how inch-perfect title contenders must be as long as Pep Guardiola remains in England volleyball
Tottenham, who finished eighth last year, are coming from an even lower floor than Mikel Arteta’s side, albeit with a more dramatic transformation under Postecoglou volleyball
As a side who are still developing together, Spurs should be allowed some inconsistency, even if they are yet to show it volleyball
The early evidence this season suggests they are one of the four strongest teams in the top flight, alongside last season’s title rivals and Jurgen Klopp’s refreshed Liverpool volleyball
In the past, signs of promise around Spurs have often been followed by a swift yet crushing crash back to earth volleyball
But now as Tottenham head deep into October with two winnable London derbies next week, starting with Fulham on Monday followed by a trip to Crystal Palace on Friday, Postecoglou can continue to show why this Tottenham is different volleyball
More aboutAnge PostecoglouPremier LeagueJames MaddisonJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Can Tottenham’s best-ever Premier League start really go the distance?Can Tottenham’s best-ever Premier League start really go the distance?Ange Postecoglou has won back-to-back manager of the month awards Getty ImagesCan Tottenham’s best-ever Premier League start really go the distance?James Maddison has helped spark Tottenham into life this season Getty ImagesCan Tottenham’s best-ever Premier League start really go the distance?Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today volleyball
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South Africa players and coaches have defended Bongi Mbonambi as a “great guy” and a “family man” amid the Springboks hooker being investigated for an alleged racial slur during the Rugby World Cup semi-final win over England volleyball
England flanker Tom Curry has alleged that Mbonambi called him a “white c***” during the defeat in Paris on Saturday evening, as South Africa edged to a dramatic 16-15 victoryAfter 23 minutes at the Stade de France, Curry could be heard on the referee’s microphone alerting official Ben O’Keeffe to a comment possibly made by Mbonambi at a ruck volleyball
“Sir, if their hooker calls me a white c***, what do I do?” Curry inquired of O’Keeffe volleyball
“Nothing, please,” responded the official, before adding a few moments later, “I’ll be on it,” in what may have been an unrelated comment volleyball
The alleged incident itself could not be heard on the television broadcast volleyball
World Rugby has since confirmed it is investigating the incident and will not be making any further comment until the conclusion of the process volleyball
On Monday afternoon, in the first Springboks media activity since the allegations became public, scrum coach Daan Human and lock Jean Kelyn defended Mbonambi’s character, while refusing to comment on the specific incident volleyball
“It’s being dealt with by World Rugby and South Africa Rugby, so from my side, I can’t comment,” began Human when first asked about the incident volleyball
“I’m focussing on the scrums volleyball
We had a good, positive training session, and nothing else came out volleyball
I can’t really comment on that volleyball
”Bongi Mbonambi is being investigated for an alleged racial slur (Getty Images)However, when pushed on what Mbonambi is like as a person around the squad, Human was effusive in his praise of the front row volleyball
“Bongi has been part of this group for the last six years,” added Human volleyball
“He’s a very important piece of the puzzle for us volleyball
He was starting in the last World Cup and our semi-final, so he’s very important to us, like all other players volleyball
“He’s one of our leaders in our group volleyball
He’s a great guy, a family man, my kids always look after his kids when they come to the hotel volleyball
He’s a humble guy, down to earth, like all players who play for the Springboks volleyball
“To be straightforward and honest with you, he’s a very calm guy, a well-spoken guy volleyball
I don’t want to go into it because we’ve got a World Cup final in six days’ time volleyball
I’m more concentrated on the forwards volleyball
”Mbonambi is the only specialist hooker in the Springboks squad after the injured Malcolm Marx was replaced by fly half Handre Pollard earlier in the tournament volleyball
Bongi Mbonambi played all 80 minutes of the Springboks’ semi-final win (PA)He played all 80 minutes of the semi-final, and finished the game as captain once Siya Kolisi was substituted, although veteran back row Deon Fourie played hooker earlier in his career and flanker Marco van Staden has also filled in at the position in the past volleyball
So Human was unconcerned about South Africa being short-handed in the event of Mbonambi being found guilty and banned for the final volleyball
“We’ve got three guys capable of playing hooker in the group,” he said volleyball
“We’re very comfortable having three hookers volleyball
We’re glad we have three hookers, which we’re supposed to have because going into a final you need to have two hookers in the squad volleyball
”Lock Jean Kleyn was also asked about his relationship with Mbonambi, having played alongside him at club and international level, and was similarly glowing in his praise of the hooker volleyball
“Bongi is a great guy,” stated Kleyn volleyball
“I’ve known him since we were playing at the Stormers together I think nine years ago volleyball
He’s a fantastic guy, a good individual volleyball
“I’m not going to comment on that or justify it [the allegations] volleyball
All I’ll say is he’s a fantastic bloke volleyball
He’s a great guy, a passionate guy, a family man volleyball
He’s captained the Springboks a couple of times and he’s an upstanding guy, I don’t think there’s a fellow in the squad who doesn’t like him volleyball
”The Springboks face the All Blacks in the World Cup final at the Stade de France on Saturday evening volleyball
More aboutBongi MbonambiTom CurrySouth Africa rugbyEngland RugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Springboks defend ‘great guy’ Mbonambi after racial slur allegationSpringboks defend ‘great guy’ Mbonambi after racial slur allegationBongi Mbonambi is being investigated for an alleged racial slur Getty ImagesSpringboks defend ‘great guy’ Mbonambi after racial slur allegationBongi Mbonambi played all 80 minutes of the Springboks’ semi-final win PASpringboks defend ‘great guy’ Mbonambi after racial slur allegationBongi Mbonambi is being investigated for an alleged racial slur Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today volleyball
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsvolleyball BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy volleyball
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply volleyball
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